Question

Among the following, which are the oxidizing agents?
A.Oxygen
B.Hydrogen
C.Copper
D.Zinc

Answer 1

Hint: Oxidizing agents are substances which oxidize the other substance in a redox reaction. They accept electrons.an oxidizing agent, or oxidising agent is a substance that has the ability to oxidize other substances — in other words to accept their electrons. Common oxidizing agents are oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and the halogens.

Complete answer:
-A reaction which involves both oxidation and reduction is called redox reaction. The loss of electron(s) in a redox reaction is oxidation and gain of electron(s) is reduction. The substance which oxide another substance is called oxidizing agent. The oxidizing agents themselves get reduced in a redox reaction. Oxidizing agent oxidizes the reducing agent.
-Among the given options, the element which can accept electrons will be a good oxidizing agent. Oxidizing agents possess a high electron gain enthalpy. Electron gain enthalpy is the energy released when an atom accepts an electron. Electrons gain enthalpy increases from left to right in a period and decrease down the group. Hence among the given options the one with higher electron gain enthalpy will be the good oxidizing agent.
-Oxygen is placed in the upper right corner in the periodic table. It belongs to the second period and 16th group. Hence it will have a higher value of electron gain enthalpy. So it can accept electrons easily and can act as a good oxidizing agent.
-Hydrogen contains one electron. It can be stabilized by both accepting and donating one electron. Hence hydrogen can act as both oxidizing agent and reducing agent.
-Both copper and zinc belong to the d-block and are metals. Metals have a low value of electron gain enthalpy. They can easily donate electrons. Hence they are good reducing agents, not oxidizing agents.
Hence among the given options, oxygen is the good oxidizing agent. So Option A is correct.

Note:
We cannot choose hydrogen as a good oxidizing agent. Because it can act as both oxidizing and reducing agent. The reducing and oxidizing property of hydrogen depends on the compound with which it reacts.